Neonatal Care Solution

Hypothermia is one of the leading causes of death in premature infants, particularly in low-income countries where access to incubators is limited. Most existing solutions are either expensive, require electricity, or are single-use, creating ongoing cost and waste problems for under-resourced clinics.

This project was a deep dive into neonatal thermoregulation and the design constraints of healthcare in low-resource environments. The goal was simple: build something that actually works, can be reused, and costs almost nothing.

The result was a reusable heat pouch designed for premature newborns. The final unit cost came in at $2.21, a fraction of existing alternatives. The design uses phase-change materials to maintain stable warmth over several hours, doesn't require electricity to activate, and can be sterilized and reused repeatedly.

The hardest part of this project wasn't the engineering. It was understanding the distribution and adoption problem. A good product doesn't help if clinics can't get it, can't afford it, or don't trust it. That system-level thinking reshaped how I approached the design entirely.